Tag: Tech

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Things I didn’t post last week because I was slacking.

Let’s get to it.

Internet Explorer 8 Beta

Available for Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, Windows Vista, and Windows Server 2008

2008.06.30

Apple releases some updates.

Mac OS X 10.5.4 Update 88MB | Combo Update 561MB
The 10.5.4 Update is recommended for all users running Mac OS X Leopard.

Mac OS X Server 10.5.4 133MB | Combo Update 677MB
The 10.5.4 update is recommended for all servers currently running Leopard Server.

Time Capsule and AirPort Base Station (802.11n) Firmware 7.3.2 4MB
The Time Capsule, AirPort Extreme and AirPort Express Base Station with 802.11n* Firmware 7.3.2 updates include bug fixes.

Security Update 2008-004 PPC 80MB | Intel 128MB
Security Update 2008-004 is recommended for all Tiger users and improves the security of Mac OS X.

Security Update 2008-004 Server PPC 127MB | Intel 165MB
Security Update 2008-004 is recommended for all TIger servers and improves the security of Mac OS X.

Safari 3.1.2 for Tiger 49.2MB
This update is recommended for all Safari Tiger users and includes stability improvements and the latest security updates.

Here I go slacking again…….

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Paul Thurrott Turns into A 13-Year-Old

In Windows Weekly 66, Paul Thurrott turns into a whiny 13-year-old. Thurrott feels that he is the one to defend Microsoft against some mainstream journalists. The argument is valid, but essentially Thurrott debunked himself for not being a Microsoft (original) Defender (not to be confused with Microsoft Windows Defender, the anti-spyware software. Thanks clintthewookie for the corrections.).

Close to the 18 minute mark of the podcast (note to Leo Laporte: “netcast” term is lame), Thurrott mentions that with 1 terabyte hard drive and 4GB RAM, it is essentially OK to have “bloated software” just because the resources is there. Gee, that sounds like Thurrott echoing Bill Gates.

A little bit after, Thurrott was saying: “The version of Mac OS X that was available when Windows 95 shipped…..”

Leo Laporte did not even catch it waht ever the reason was.

Series of Tubes to Paul Thurrott: There was no Mac OS X back in 1995. Not even in 1998. Don’t you remember your MacBook Core Solo?

Windows Weekly 66 (excerpts)

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iPhone 3G: Seven Impossible Days

The title to this post has nothing to do with anything other than iPhone 3G will be released in seven days. “Seven Impossible Days” is a song recorded by Mr. Big.

It is the Fourth of July celebration for people in The United States, and Friday for the rest of the world.

In the meantime, MacNN reports that iPhone 3G starts forming at Apple Store Fifth Ave. in New York. I gotta say that these people are crazy. That’s “Seven Impossible Days” for me to wait in line for the iPhone 3G.

OK, at least I tried making sense of the title to this post to the content, even though no one might get it.

For all of our Canadian friends, unfortunately you’re no longer at the top of “Oh noes, our wireless data plans are ripping us off” list. Our Norwegian friends seems to be getting a more expensive plan.

what else?

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Package is not delivered, blame it on UPS.

Beginning of rants.

Have you ever made an appointment with cable installations, or anything alike? Most likely you’ll be getting the usual “We’ll be there between 8:00am to 12:00pm” or even worse like “We’ll be there between 8:00am to 5:00pm.”

That is just plain annoying.

Well, I ordered Canon Vixia HV30 for a specifically for a 4th of July event from Amazon.com and had it on a one-day-shipping arrangement. Amazon shipped it immediately, and the package arrived at a local UPS distribution center early morning. According to the UPS tracking center, the package was out for delivery at 6:33am. I received an automated call from UPS that the package is being delivered and requires delivery confirmation in person. I had no problem with that, with the exception UPS did not have any delivery time specified. From my experience, UPS delivered packages in my area ranging from 2:00pm to 8:00pm. There was at least one person at the location until 5:00pm. Due to a little arrangement called “work”, I wouldn’t be able to get back to the location until after 6:00pm.

Due to severe traffics and other factors, I arrived at the location a little bit after 7:00pm. I found the UPS delivery aatempt notifications at the door. I immediately called UPS so that I could pick up my package at their distribution center. To my surprised, UPS wouldn’t let me pick up the package because I didn’t call them before 7:00pm. Since Friday is a holiday, and UPS wouldn’t do anything on the weekend, I wouldn’t be able to pick anyhting up until Monday June 7th.

Considering that I purchased the camcorder mainly for the special 4th of July event, it would be a “little” too late. What really bugs me is that UPS wouldn’t let me pick up the package tonight.

I had it, and I instructed UPS to send the package back to Amazon. I called Amazon and explained the situation. They understood the situation and would give full refund to my account.

I am really happy with Amazon, and I completely blame UPS.

end of rants…… maybe.

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iPhone 3G and The Subsidy Dilemma

The original iPhone brought an interesting and effective concept to the mobile phone industry. The iPhone activation process was regarded as on of the greatest things that Apple brought to the mobile industry. Customer can buy the iPhone and activate it at their own time through iTunes. No more wasting the precious time at the store waiting for the phone activations. There were some problems with the activation process for the first few days as record numbers of people trying to do the same thing at the same time. After all the hickups the iPhone set a new standard for the mobile phone industry, the activation process in particular.

Since its introductions in January 2007, the iPhone was criticized by the so-called-tech-journalists who didn’t even have access to the phone. They screamed and yelled about the lack of 3G network support and the pricing of the iPhone. Let’s take a look at the two factors.

  1. 3G Network Support.
    Having a faster wireless network on the iPhone is a definite advantage. Some said that the 3G network support requires more power consumptions thus shortening the battery life. The so-called-tech-journalists declared that the iPhone is severely behind the times for not having 3G network support. The irony of this argument is that the same “tech journalists” were saying that the 3G support in the iPhone is pretty much useless because of AT&T’s lack of 3G network in the United States. Honestly, why would these so-called-tech-journalists criticize the original iPhone for not having 3G network support? That’s a rhetorical question.
  2. iPhone Pricing.
    In the United States, the iPhone was originally priced at $499 and $599 for the 4GB and 8GB iPhone respectively. The so-called-tech-journalists screamed and yelled for the lack of subsidy on the iPhone. Fast forward a year later, AT&T is now subsidizing the iPhone 3G with a few caveats. Based on the available informations, iPhone 3G requires in-store-activations and a two-year-agreement. Whatever happened to the easy-to-do activation process through iTunes? It’s now gone because of the subsidy. The pay-as-you-go plan is currently not available for the iPhone 3G. AT&T wants to deter all the unlocking by forcing the in-store-activation. For sure they are losing money for subsidizing phones that are not bound to their service contracts.

What have we learned here? We can’t have the cake and eat it too.

Eight more days to go, and we’ll see if how Apple would handle the iPhone 3G sales in their own retail stores. Until then, we could only speculate.

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Buying Canon Vixia HV30 Hi-Def Camcorder

I am waiting for UPS to deliver Canon Vixia HV30 that I ordered from Amazon.com. Currently I am using Panasonic HDC-SD5, Panasonic HDC-SD9, and Canon HG10 to work on multimedia projects. All three camcorders are AVCHD camcorders, which record on to SDHC or Hard Drive. Canon Vixia HV30 is an HDV Camcorder that records on to HD-MiniDV tapes.

As much as I like the AVCHD format, I found a few advantages using a tape-based camcorder. I will get into that later.

For now, I am waiting for the camcorder to arrive on July 3rd.

Delivery estimate: July 3, 2008
1 “Canon VIXIA HV30 MiniDV High Definition Camcorder with 10x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom”
Electronics; $786.26
Sold by: Amazon.com, LLC

UPDATE:

The following items have been shipped to you by Amazon.com:
———————————————————————
Qty      Item                           Price  Shipped  Subtotal
———————————————————————
Amazon.com items (Sold by Amazon.com, LLC):
1     Canon VIXIA HV30 MiniDV Hi…  $786.26      1  $786.26

Shipped via UPS (estimated arrival date: 03-July-2008).
Tracking number: ******************
———————————————————————
Item Subtotal:  $786.26
Shipping & Handling:  $3.99

Total:  $790.25

Leo Laporte talked about this camcorder a few months back, and he took it to Tasmania for the Adobe Lightroom Adventure.

Canon Vixia HV30 product page @ Canon.com

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The July Promise

There are a lot of things to write about, and I’m planning to write at least once a day for the month of July.

Let’s see what’s coming in this month.

Obviously, the iPhone 3G is coming July 11th. The continuing uproars against Canadian TelCo. Lots of news from the Apple camp.

I will be doing some camera work during the 4th of July Weekend. I’ll write more about it.

For starter, it’s July 1st. Ten more day to go till iPhone 3G madness, or lack thereof.